Pool calculator salt vs Taylor test salt levels

[kitamiman]

I am puzzled by apparently inconsistent values for my salt level.

I just refilled my pool through a water meter, so I know that it holds 21,500 US gallons. I goofed when using the calculator for the salt; I set it to Imperial rather than US, resulting in dumping in 18 x 40-lb bags of salt (720 lbs) instead of the 15 or so required. (Fill water has no salt.)

However, going back to the pool calculator, 720 lbs of salt should give me a salt level of about 4000 ppm, well within limits for the Intellichlor, while my salt reading using a Taylor salt test kit (twice) is 5400 ppm.

Anyone any idea why this might be the case? Should I believe the test kit, or should I say that with the known amount of water and the known amount of salt it MUST be about 4000 ppm?

I used 15 x 1-lb bags of dichlor opening up the pool (I needed the chlorine and I needed the CYA, so it seemed a good way to go...), but according to the PC that only accounts for an extra 38 ppm of salt...

Thanks in advance for all replies...

 

[Isaac-1]

Are you SURE your fill water contains no salt?

 

[duraleigh]

I assume you are using the Taylor K-1766 salt test. That test is usually pretty dependable so I would be inclined to believe it.

You could always have a pool store double check or get some Aqua-chek salt test strips locally to verify.

After all that, I am like Isaac1 and want to confirm your fill water contained no salt....that's fairly unusual.

 

[JamesW]

If you added calcium chloride, that would increase the chloride level, which is what the K-1766 measures.

I would also check that the bags of salt were 40 lbs and not 50 lbs.

 

[kitamiman]

Thank you for the replies.

I think you are right. I am near the ocean and while the well used for fill water is usually salt free, I think the demand of filling the pool must have pulled some salt. Next year I will test BEFORE adding the salt!